Animal-trap.



H. W. GHRISTMAN.

ANIMAL TRAP.

APPLICATI-JN FILED JULY 19. 1911 l ggg gyg Patented Aug. 6, 1912.

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H. W. CHRISTMAN.

ANIMAL TRAP.

APPLIGATION nun JULY 19, 1911.

Patented Aug. 8, 1912.

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ANIMAL TRAP.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY19,1911.

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wwnmo HENRY W. CHRISTMAN, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

ANIMAL-TRAP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 6, 1912.

Application filed July 19, 1911. Serial No. 639,291.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY W. CHRIST- MAN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of NewYork, have invented new and useful Improvements in Animal-Traps, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to animal traps and particularly to such trapsthat are designed principally for catching rats, mice and similarrodents, the object of the invention being to provide a trap to be selfset and ever set-and which will include means for positively trappingthe animal and killing the same.

Other objects of the invention are to provide positive and negativeelectric contacts disposed in the path of the animal so that as itenters the trap it will be compelled to close the contacts to therebyclose the electric circuit and to cause the animal to be quicklyelectrocuted; further, the provision of a receiving chamber which islocated in such proximity with respect to the contacts that the animalon jumping, through the effect of the electric current, will fallthereinto to be concealed from the view of other animals which willlater enter the trap.

In the drawings, forming a portion of this specification and in whichlike numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the sevv.eral views:Figur'e 1 is a perspective view of the trap. Fig. 2 is a longitudinalsection Fig. 3 is a transverse section through the same. Fig. 4 is aplan view of a portion of the trap. Fig. 5 is a section on line 5-5 ofFig. 4. Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view of the top of the trap.

The trap comprises a receptacle which preferably includes a base orbottom portion 1, the sidewalls 2, the end walls 3, and a top 4. Thereceptacle is divided into compartments 5 and 6 by the partition7, thecompartment 5 being designed for the re ception of a transformer whichmay be connect-ed with any suitable outside electric source, orif;.desired the receptacle may be provided with a suitable electricbattery which may be connected in any suitable obvious manner with thetransformer. The receptacle is provided at a point above the compartment5 with a closure 8 to facilitate the introduction of the transformer orthe electric battery into the compartment or the removal of the sametherefrom. At one side, the receptacle is provided with a similarclosure 9 through which the lead wires from the electric source may beextended and operatively connected with the transformer.

The top 4 of the receptacle is provided at the front end of the latterwith the negative and positive electric elements 10 and 11 each being inform of a copper plate, the plate 11 being considerably longer than theplate 10. The plate 11 is hinged, at 12, to the top 4 and it is adaptedto be sustained in a horizontal position by means of the metallic post13 which rises from the support 14. This support is mounted in anysuitable well known manner in the receptacle and is formed ofnon-conducting material. The plate 10 is hinged, at 15, to thereceptacle and is disposed substantially in a plane with the plate 11.This plate carries a contact 16 which is normally spaced from thecontact 17 by means of a light extensile spring 18. '''A lead wire 19 isconnected at one end to the contact 17, the opposite end of the wirebeing operatively connected with the transformer. The contact 17 issecurely supported upon the insulated support here inbefore described.The lead wire 20 is connected at one end to the positive contact 11 andat the opposite end the wire; is connected with the transformer. Thisconstruction is such that when the negative and positive elements 10 and11 are bridged by the animal stepping upon them the electric circuitwill be closed and the animal electrocuted.

At the front end, the receptacle is pro-- vided with .a substantiallyU-bail 21 with which the hook 22 on the underside of the inclinedapproach 23 may be connected so as to hold the latter operativelypositioned with respect to the contact elements 10 and ,11 and cause theanimal to travel in the direction of said elements.

A combined hood and bait container is positioned above the elements 10and 11 and the trap doors 24 and 25.- This hood comprises the front andrear walls 26 and 27, the end walls 28,: and the top wall 29. The frontwall of the hood is provided with a swin ing closure 30 which isdisposed in line with the contact elements 10 and 11,

it being the object to open the door so as to rovide access to the hoodwhen the trap is in use. The rear wall of the hood is pro vided with anopening 31 over which is extended aforaminous member The hood isprovided with a bait container which extends dowpwardly agai st one snieof the foraminous member so t or it can be viewed by the animal fr thetrap. Parallel rods are supported within the hood and mounted thereonarc the swinging aprons These aprons are located at the sides of thecontact. elements 10 and 11 and are provided for the p of concealing thetrap doors 24 and; a for causing the animal to travel in the directionof the baitwhich will necessitate his passage across the contactelements 10 and 11; The aprons are free to swing inwardly under theweight of the animal as it falls from the contact plates 10 and 11 sothat the animal will finall fall upon one or the other of the trap doorsand be delivered to the receiving chamber formed by the compartment 6 ofthe receptacle. The trap doors are mounted hingedly on the rods 36.These rods are supported by the top 4 of the receptacle and they arepartly embraced by springs 37. These springs are engaged with the doorsso as to normally sustain them in horizontal positions. Movement of thedoors under the tension of the springs is limited by the stops 38 whichare carried by the top 4 of the receptacle.

By constructing the hood as hercinbefore described it will be seen thatthe same may be readily swung to assume the dotted line position shownin Fig. 2 of the drawings so as to facilitate the application of thebait to the; bait container. In addition-t0 the bait containerhereinbefore described it is desir able to provide such bait hooks thoseshown at 39 and to mount the hooks on the apron supporting rods.

The hood .is provided with hooks 40 which I claim z- An animal includinga receptacle, d electric eleznen i a depressible elecadapted toyieldingly Jie element, a fixed condepressilole element,

a connection be- =d element, a nil the fixed essible i U fixed l fWiHCilit is connected is depr so to close the electrical connection :tween thedepressible element and the source of electric supply, and trap doors sodisposed that the animal will fall into the receptacle uponelectrocution.

An animal trap including a receptacle, :1 fixed electric element, adepressible ele trit: ch ined-l means adapted to yielding'ly supportsaid depressible element, a fixed contact mounted below the depressibleclc ment, a source of electric supply, a 00111160- tion between saidsupply and the fixed element, a connection between said supply and themed contact, a contact carried by the de pressiliile element and adaptedto engage the fixed contact when the element to which it is connected isdepressed so as to close the connection bet ween the same and the sourceof electric supply, trap doors so disposed that the animal will fallinto the receptacle upon electrocutioi'i, a movable hood supported bythe receptacle and disposed above the said trap doors and the electricelement movable aprons supported by said hood and so suspended aspartially to conceal the trap doors and guide the animal in thedirection of the convict a bUli act element and adap contact when theelectric element, and bait hooks carried by the movable apron supportsand maintained in interposed relation theretoand on each of the deprible electric element so e :mimal y over the edge of the {prone lding topressure and all he animai to fall through the trap d in i iony whereofi. ahix 'c two u'i' HARRY M, \l' itnesses:

FRANCES M. nanny, Enn s Nosrnan'r.

